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In a sign of the deep splits within Labour, a spokeswoman later slapped down Mr Livingstone’s remarks by denying the party would consider its position on NATO.

She said: “The terms of the defence review are still to be agreed but will not look at our membership of NATO.”

Despite not having been a serving politician since he ended his spell as London mayor in 2008, Mr Livingstone was handed the role of reviewing Labour’s defence policy by Mr Corbyn last year.

He shares the Labour leader’s opposition to the renewal of Britain’s Trident nuclear deterrent.

Following this week’s appointment of fellow Trident critic Emily Thornberry as shadow defence secretary in Mr Corbyn’s ‘revenge’ reshuffle, Mr Livingstone was asked whether this no meant there was ‘zero’ chance of Labour maintaining its support for renewing Britain’s independent nuclear deterrent.

Mr Livingstone suggested there isn’t any point in Britain holding a nuclear deterrent because “stop the Argentinians invading the Falkland Islands” and claimed “having nuclear weapons doesn't make you safe”.

Asked whether he would be happy for Britain to live under the protection of America’s nuclear weapons through NATO, Mr Livingstone replied: “You don't have a choice, America is the main nuclear power in the West.

“The issue is are we at risk of being invaded or attacked by Russia? That's nonsense.”

Directly challenged on whether he believed Britain should remain part of NATO, he added: “That's one of the things we will look at. There'll be many people who want to do that.

“I don't think it's a particularly big issue, In the Cold War it was, it isn't now. Russia is not planning to invade the West.”

Asked if that meant Labour’s defence review would be looking at ending Britain’s NATO membership, he said: “There'll be people making those suggestions, we're looking at the entire defence review.”

Mr Corbyn has already faced a storm of criticism over his decision to purge his shadow cabinet of those who do not share his hard-left views.

Three shadow ministers yesterday resigned in protest.

The embattled Labour leader replaced Trident supporter Maria Eagle with Ms Thornberry, leaving many of his party’s MPs to despair at the anti-nuclear push by Mr Corbyn just hours before North Korea claimed to have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb.